Key card dispatched conveyor systems



Nov. 30, 1965 H. 5. ABBEY 3,220,534

KEY CARD DISPATCHED CONVEYOR SYSTEMS Original Filed March 21, 1963 3 heets-Sheet l T a- 2| g &6Marr v 1.9/20 422 INVENTOR. H 040 G fleeey Nov. 30, 1965 H. s. ABBEY 3,220,534

KEY CARD DISPATCHED CONVEYOR SYSTEMS Original Filed March 21, 1963 8 heets-Sheet 2 &\\\\\ we R ffomsncwr -'"--|r r-- w I 8 l i & I

INVENTOR.

I #4 (3 4560 J BY Nov. 30, 1965 H. G. ABBEY KEY CARD DISPATCHED CONVEYOR SYSTEMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed March 21, 1963 AEl/TMENT ADJACENT WOEK 57'4 T/ON I N VENTOR. H4 6 fleas) United States Patent 3,220,534 KEY CARD DISPATCHED CONVEYOR SYSTEMS Harold G. Abbey, 189-10 Aberdeen Road, Jamaica, Long Island 23, N.Y. Original application Mar. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 266,925. Divided and this application May 24, 1965, Ser. No.

4 Claims. (Cl. 19838) The present invention relates generally to a dispatching arrangement for a multi-process or multi-destination sys term for selectively directing and activating the movements of individual carriers whereby the carriers are automatically routed and piloted throughout the system in accordance with a predetermined program by means of key cards, and more particularly to a retractable holder for such cards. This application is a division of my pending application Serial No. 266,925, filed March 21, 1963.

In my Patents Nos. 2,854,159; 2,987,201; 2,975,882 and 2,979,181, there are disclosed conveyor structures including a plurality of work carriers movable on an overhead track for travel to various work stations therebelow, the track being provided with removable rail segments vertically aligned with the stations. Individual elevators are provided for the removable segments, the work carrier being supported on the rail segment as it is lowered by the associated elevator to a work station. Acting in conjunction with each removable segment is a substitute segment which automatically replaces the removable segment whenv it is lowered, thereby re-establishing the continuity of the track and permitting uninterrupted passage of carriers. Thus no gaps are permitted to remain in the track and the flow of tr-afiic thereon is maintained. This makes possible a leap-frog operation in which, as one carrier occupies a down or work position, the next carrier bypasses the occupied station to continue it travel to an assigned station.

In my above-identified pending application, there is disclosed a system wherein a carrier is automatically piloted through a cycle of operations by means of a coded key card which engages, at the various operating points in the system, a decoding receiver consisting essentially of a bank of binary switches which are so arranged that a single output relay is operated only when the switching bank intercepts specifically coded cards. As long as the key card is in an operative position with respect to the receiver, the carrier bearing the card will be acted upon when it meets a receiver responsive to the card. It is desi'rable, however, in some situations to effectively deactivate the key card so that the carrier movement will not be interrupted.

The main object of this invention is to provide a retractable platform or holder for supporting a key card on a carrier, which platform may be raised to place the card in operative relation to receivers encountered in the course of carrier movement, or withdrawn to render the key card inoperative, whereby the carrier movement proceeds without interruption at the operating points until the card is restored to it operative position.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates, in front elevation, a small portion of a conveyor system making use of automatic carrier control devices in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a single trolley on a removable segment;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the key card cradle mounted on a movable carrier;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the key card in its holder;

3,220,534 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 FIG. 5 is a side view of the bank of switches in the receiver; and

FIG. 6 shows in vertical elevation a swingable cradle for the key card holder.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a small section of an overhead conveyor and processing system. In practice, the complete system may take the form of a continuous trackway having a large number of stations for carrying out various operations such as chemical cleaning, plating, rinsing, drying, etc. The arrangement may be such that any of the work carriers is made to undergo any desired sequence of operations independently of the operating cycles of the other carriers in the system.

The overhead, horizontally extending track 10 is constituted by a fixedly supported beam 11 and includes transfer rail segmets 12 which normally lie in linear registration with the trackway but are removable therefrom. The rail segments 12 are in vertical alignment with the work stations WS therebelow. Travelling along the track are a plurality of work carriers 13 which may support perforated cylindrical plating barrels 14 of non-conductive material, or plating racks.

Carrier 13 is in the form of a trolley having two sets of wheels 15A and 15B which ride on either side of the trackway double rail C and C to transport the barrel to selected stations. The barrel loads, as best seen in FIG. 2, are suspended eccentrically by a cantilever arm 16 from the trolley 13.

Each transfer rail segment 12 is movable downwardly by means of an individual elevator 17 riding on vertical frame beams 18. The transfer segment 12 is mechanically attached to the frame of elevator 17 so that when the elevator chain or cable is driven, the segment may be lowered or raised thereby, depending on the direction of drive. When the rail segment is lowered with a work carrier thereon, the plating barrel is immersed in a processing tank at the work station.

The trolleys 13 of the several work carriers are indexed or shifted in a stepwise manner along the trackway in one direction by means of spaced pusher fingers 19 which are pivotally connected to a reciprocally-operated actuator bar 20, disposed above the rail and parallel thereto. The bar 20 is slidably supported and is driven in alternate directions at timed intervals by a suitable hydraulic device 21 or other means. For each forward stroke of the bar, the pusher finger 19 advances trolley 13 from one station to the next. Stops in the form of pivotal dogs or spring-actuated detents may be used for holding a carrier on a rail segment 12 or on a main track 11 to prevent displacement thereof.

Pivotally supported above each transfer rail segment is a substitute rail segment 22 which is an exact duplicate of segment 12. The arrangement is such that when the transfer segment- 12 is lowered by elevator 17, the matching substitute segment 22 falls downwardly in place of the transfer segment so that no break exists in the continuity of the trackway and successive work carriers are able to proceed therealong without interruption and skip over any work carrier which has been lowered into a work station. Thus the withdrawal of one or more work carriers from the trackway does not act to delay the transfer of other carriers.

By combining the leap-frog and bypassing principles disclosed in the above-identified Abbey patents with the coded dispatching arrangement disclosed herein, it becomes possible to multiply the automated cycle selection possibilities. A great variety of process variations can be automatically cycled in a single system without manual assistance. Thus cleaning and other metal preparative steps can be integrated with plating and finishing in a single system and piloted by one operator.

The dispatch key cards in accordance with the invention function as automatic carrier pilots and control the electrical circuit combinations for directing and activating the movements of the carriers throughout the system. The key cards are each provided with contact prongs which actuate selected switches acting as binary elements on a fixed receiver unit when the carriers arrive at the various stations. The key cards act as program controls and, once inserted on a carrier, they pilot their loads unerringly from start to finish, all timing and movements being automatic. Key cards can be identified by proces name, number or color.

The action taken by each carrier is determined by the code combination on its key card, which code is analyzed or decoded at each functioning point in the conveyor system by a receiver, whereby if a particular code is presented, the receiver generates a command signal to render the functioning point operative with respect to the carrier bearing the code.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 6, there is shown a single carrier 13 having trolley wheels 15A and 15B riding on the conveyor trackway. Mounted on the side of the carrier as well as on every other carrier in the system, is a retractable platform, generally designated by numeral 25, for supporting a key card 26. The card, as best seen in FIG. 4, is constituted by a metal plate having a series of six binary code positions represented by prongs P to P Specific code combinations are formed by bending selected prongs at right angles to the plane of the card, whereby they are then in a position to engage the actuating elements of a bank of switches in the receiver encountered at each functioning point in the conveyor system. For purpose of illustration, prongs P P and P in FIG. 5 are shown bent to provide in effect a 00-111 binary combination.

Fixedly mounted at the various functioning points in the system are receivers 27, one of which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Each receiver includes a bank of switches S equal in number to the prongs on the key card, and in alignment therewith, whereby a bent prong P on the card is engageable with theactuating element E of the switch in its path of travel, as shown for prongs P in the drawing.

The retractable platform 25 for the key card 26, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, includes a holder 29 having jibs 31 and 32 for receiving the card, and a retaining spring 33 for keeping the card in place on the platform. The holder 29 is supported on a base plate 34 secured to the side of the carrier by means of a pair of link members 35 and 36 whose forked upper arms are pivotally connected by shafts 37 and 38 to the holder. The feet of the link members are pivotally connected to the base plate 34 by means ofshafts 39 and 40 journaled in bearings thereon.

The links define a parallelogram, and when the links are perpendicular to the base plate, the holder is outstretched to bring the key card into operative relation to the receivers as it travels in the horizontal plane, as shown in FIG. 4. The manner by which the platform can be retracted is by striking the holder in a direction parallel to its plane, as shown in FIG. 6. Pressure applied in a direction normal to the plane of the holder will have no effect on its position.

Thus when the carrier is moved downwardly to a work station, a fixed stop or abutment 42 may be arranged at the lowermost position to engage the lower edge of holder 29 to cause the holder to swing on its linkage toward the carrier, as shown in dotted lines. The extended or retracted position of the platform is maintained by detents 41 acting on the shafts 39 and 40. The key card holder position may be restored by its forward movement past a sheet-metal or other type of cam to push it back to its contact position. This retractable feature is useful when the carrier has processed through a multiple station and no further processing is desired.

While there has been shown preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that many changes may be made therein within the spirit of the invention as hereinafter defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a conveyor system wherein carriers travel past spaced points along a trackway, a control arrangement for said carriers comprising a replaceable key card borne by said each carrier, a stationary receiver adjacent each point to engage said key card on the carrier arriving at said point to produce a control action which depends on the coding of the key card, each card being supported on the carrier by means of a retractable platform which may be raised to place the card in operative relation to receivers encountered in the course of carrier movement or withdrawn to render the key card inoperative.

2. In a conveyor system as set forth, in claim 1, wherein said retractable platform is constituted by a holder to receive said key card, a base plate secured to the carrier and a pair of link members pivotally attached at one end to said base member and at the other end to saidplatform to define a parallelogram such that only when the links are outstretched said key card is in operative position.

3. In a conveyor system, a trackway having operating points extending between a starting point and a terminal point, a plurality of carriers conveyable on said trackway for transporting work to be acted upon at selected points therealong, at least one point having an elevator to carry the carrier down to a work station, control means at each point to effect an action with respect to carriers selecting the point, a replaceable key card borne by a retractable platform on each carrier to instruct said carrier to take predetermined actions relative to selected points, a stationary receiver adjacent each point to engage the key card on the carrier arriving thereat, said receiver producing a signal only when the incoming card is properly coded relative thereto, said signal being applied to said control means to effect the desired action, said platform being shiftable from an extended position which brings the key card into operative relation to receivers encountered in the course of carrier movement to a retracted position which renders said key card inoperative.

4. In a conveyor system, as set forth in claim 3, further including an abutment adjacent said work station positioned to strike said platform to effect retraction thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,144,926 8/1964 Edelman 198-38 3,168,053 2/1965 Miroux 19838 X 3,175,675 3/1965 Sgriccia et a1. 19838 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CONVEYOR SYSTEM WHEREIN CARRIERS TRAVEL PAST SPACED POINTS ALONG A TRACKWAY, A CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR SAID CARRIERS COMPRISING A REPLACEABLE KEY CARD BORNE BY SAID EACH CARRIER, A STATIONARY RECEIVER ADJACENT EACH POINT TO ENGAGE SAID KEY CARD ON THE CARRIER ARRIVING AT SAID POINT TO PRODUCE A CONTROL ACTION WHICH DEPENDS ON THE CODING OF THE KEY CARD, EACH CARD BEING SUPPORTED 